What are the 5 stages of team

development?
Each stage plays a vital part in building a high-functioning team.
In 1965, a psychologist named Bruce Tuckman said that teams go through 5 stages
of development: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. The
stages start from the time that a group first meets until the project ends.
Tuckman didn’t just have a knack for rhyming. (Although, it does make the stages
easier to remember.) Each is aptly named and plays a vital part in building a high-
functioning team.

#1 Forming Stage
The first stage of team development is forming, which is a lot like orientation day
at college or a new job. You could even compare it to going out on a first date.
The team has just been introduced and everyone is overly polite and pleasant. At
the start, most are excited to start something new and to get to know the other
team members. During this stage, you may discuss:
• Member’s skills, background and interests
• Project goals
• Timeline
• Ground rules
• Individual roles
As the group starts to familiarize themselves, roles and responsibilities will begin
to form. It is important for team members to develop relationships and
understand what part each person plays. But, because this stage focuses more on
the people than on the work, your team probably won’t be very productive yet.
Feelings
During the Forming stage of team development, team members are usually
excited to be part of the team and eager about the work ahead. Members
often have high positive expectations for the team experience. At the same
time, they may also feel some anxiety, wondering how they will fit in to the
team and if their performance will measure up.

Behaviors
Behaviors observed during the Forming stage may include lots of questions
from team members, reflecting both their excitement about the new team and
the uncertainty or anxiety they might be feeling about their place on the team.

Team Tasks
The principal work for the team during the Forming stage is to create a team
with clear structure, goals, direction and roles so that members begin to build
trust. A good orientation/kick-off process can help to ground the members in
terms of the team's mission and goals and can establish team expectations
about both the team's product and, more importantly, the team's process.
During the Forming stage, much of the team's energy is focused on defining
the team so task accomplishment may be relatively low.

#2 Storming Stage
Have you ever reached the point in a relationship where you become aware of a
person’s characteristics and they frustrate or annoy you? Perhaps they squeeze
the toothpaste from the top of the tube instead of the bottom? Eat with their
mouth open? Or they listen to the same Drake song 15 times in a row? Well,
congrats, you’ve entered the storming stage.
Being in a team is like being in a relationship. At first, you may think someone is
perfect and flawless. But, then you realize that they aren’t. Once you’re aware of
their flaws, you either learn to embrace them or the relationship will end quickly.
In the storming stage, the reality and weight of completing the task at hand have
now hit everyone. The initial feelings of excitement and the need to be polite have
likely worn off.
Personalities may clash. Members might disagree over how to complete a task or
voice their concerns if they feel that someone isn’t pulling their weight. They may
even question the authority or guidance of group leaders.
But, it is important to remember that most teams experience conflict. If you are
the leader, remind members that disagreements are normal.
Some teams skip over the storming stage or try to avoid conflict at whatever cost.
Avoidance usually makes the problem grow until it blows up. So, recognize
conflicts and resolve them early on.

Feelings
As the team begins to move towards its goals, members discover that the team
can't live up to all of their early excitement and expectations. Their focus may shift
from the tasks at hand to feelings of frustration or anger with the team's progress
or process. Members may express concerns about being unable to meet the
team's goals. During the Storming stage, members are trying to see how the team
will respond to differences and how it will handle conflict.

Behaviours
Behaviours during the Storming stage may be less polite than during the Forming
stage, with frustration or disagreements about goals, expectations, roles and
responsibilities being openly expressed. Members may express frustration about
constraints that slow their individual or the team's progress; this frustration might
be directed towards other members of the team, the team leadership or the
team's sponsor. During the Storming stage, team members may argue or become
critical of the team's original mission or goals.

Team Tasks
Team Tasks during the Storming stage of development call for the team to refocus
on its goals, perhaps breaking larger goals down into smaller, achievable steps.
The team may need to develop both task-related skills and group process and
conflict management skills. A redefinition of the team's goals, roles and tasks can
help team members past the frustration or confusion they experience during the
Storming stage.
#3 Norming Stage
During the norming stage, people start to notice and appreciate their team
members’ strengths. Groups start to settle into a groove. Everyone is contributing
and working as a cohesive unit.
Of course, you may still think that your tech guy’s choice in music is obnoxious.
But, you also admire his knowledge of web design and coding skills, and value his
opinions on anything tech-related.
Storming sometimes overlaps with norming. As new tasks arise, groups may still
experience a few conflicts. If you’ve already dealt with disagreement before, it will
probably be easier to address this time.

Feelings
During the Norming stage of team development, team members begin to resolve
the discrepancy they felt between their individual expectations and the reality of
the team's experience. If the team is successful in setting more flexible and
inclusive norms and expectations, members should experience an increased sense
of comfort in expressing their "real" ideas and feelings. Team members feel an
increasing acceptance of others on the team, recognizing that the variety of
opinions and experiences makes the team stronger and its product richer.
Constructive criticism is both possible and welcomed. Members start to feel part
of a team and can take pleasure from the increased group cohesion.

Behaviours
Behaviours during the Norming stage may include members making a conscious
effort to resolve problems and achieve group harmony. There might be more
frequent and more meaningful communication among team members, and an
increased willingness to share ideas or ask teammates for help. Team members
refocus on established team groundrules and practices and return their focus to
the team's tasks. Teams may begin to develop their own language (nicknames) or
inside jokes.

Team Tasks
During the Norming stage, members shift their energy to the team's goals and
show an increase in productivity, in both individual and collective work. The team
may find that this is an appropriate time for an evaluation of team processes and
productivity.

#4 Performing Stage
If you’ve reached the fourth stage, pat yourself on the back. You’re on your way to
success.
In the performing stage, members are confident, motivated and familiar enough
with the project and their team that they can operate without supervision.
Everyone is on the same page and driving full-speed ahead towards the final goal.
The fourth stage is the one that all groups strive to reach. Yet, some do not make
it. They usually fail to overcome conflict and can’t work together.

Feelings
In the Performing stage of team development, members feel satisfaction in the
team's progress. They share insights into personal and group process and are
aware of their own (and each other's) strengths and weaknesses. Members feel
attached to the team as something "greater than the sum of its parts" and feel
satisfaction in the team's effectiveness. Members feel confident in their individual
abilities and those of their teammates.
Behaviours
Team members are able to prevent or solve problems in the team's process or in
the team's progress. A "can do" attitude is visible as are offers to assist one
another. Roles on the team may have become more fluid, with members taking on
various roles and responsibilities as needed. Differences among members are
appreciated and used to enhance the team's performance.

Team Tasks
In the Performing stage, the team makes significant progress towards its goals.
Commitment to the team's mission is high and the competence of team members
is also high. Team members should continue to deepen their knowledge and skills,
including working to continuously improving team development.
Accomplishments in team process or progress are measured and celebrated.

#5 Adjourning Ending Stage

In 1977, Tuckman added a fifth stage called adjourning. (Sadly, not a perfect
rhyme.) Once a project ends, the team disbands. This phase is sometimes known
as mourning because members have grown close and feel a loss now that the
experience is over.
Feelings
Team members may feel a variety of concerns about the team’s impending
dissolution. They may be feeling some anxiety because of uncertainty about their
individual role or future responsibilities. They may feel sadness or a sense of loss
about the changes coming to their team relationships. And at the same time, team
members may feel a sense of deep satisfaction at the accomplishments of the
team. Individual members might feel all of these things at the same time or may
cycle through feelings of loss followed by feelings of satisfaction. Given these
conflicting feelings, individual and team morale may rise or fall throughout the
ending stage. It is highly likely that at any given moment individuals on the team
will be experiencing different emotions about the team's ending.

Behaviours
During the Ending Stage, some team members may become less focussed on the
team's tasks and their productivity may drop. Alternatively, some team members
may find focussing on the task at hand is an effective response to their sadness or
sense of loss. Their task productivity may increase.

Team Tasks
The team needs to acknowledge the upcoming transition and the variety of ways
that individuals and the team may be feeling about the team’s impending
dissolution.
During this stage, the team should focus on three tasks:
1. Completion of any deliverables and closure on any remaining team work
2. Evaluation of the team’s process and product, with a particular focus on
identifying "lessons learned" and passing these on to the sponsor for future
teams to use
3. Creating a closing celebration that acknowledges the contributions of
individuals and the accomplishments of the team and that formally ends
this particular team's existence.